REQUEST: Potential lecture talks I could do for amateurs

I am asking this on behalf of both me and some others that were asking me what they could do a lecture on. I also ask because I am on the MAC spakers list this season but I don't have an insightful clue as to what kind of a topic to pick for a lecture or 3! It's a weird request, I know, but seeing that the others that asked me are either not members here or too shy to ask if they are, I said I'll to the leg work...

So, particularly if you're a member of an astronomy club (it doesn't matter where), what kind of topics would you like to see covered on a club's list of topics for the year? This might be useful for other club secretaries out there to determine the kinds of topics volunteers can talk about - if you're stuck like me!



Seanie.

Seanie

Based on several years of listening to lecturers, and trying to book them, I would say that the best type of talk is one which challenges the audience to go out and do some observing, so pick a subject which does that.

Something like (in no particular order);

Constellations of the Winter (Summer, etc) Sky
Globular Clusters
The Moon (nobody does talks about the Moon)
Star clusters
Galaxies (The Virgo cluster always goes down well)
Planets

Concentrate mainly on binocular and small telescope objects, and distribute a simple handout if possible. And make the best possible use of powerpoint. Try to find images of objects as close as possible to the view that your audience will have, although the occasional Hubble-type image is ok.

I occasionally give short talks at the beginning of NIAAS meetings, about 15 minutes or so (although I have been known to ramble on a bit longer), and they are simple enough, but spinning it out for an hour might be more difficult. Try not to get bogged down in details, keep it general. And try and talk about something that interests you.
The real trick is to look as if you know what you are talking about.

Now, can I pencil you in for next season?

Sounds like you're on the ball Stevie. I thought about a Summer targets-based kind of talk. John Lally gave a good one on the Constellations this week in MAC and with the useful tools he had on how to use them to find others, I was thinking of expanding on that. I agree that the simple lectures that offer post-lecture exercies in the field are good for amateurs.

Oh, if you do find yourself stuck and in need of a looney to give a talk, you can pencil me in!

stevie wrote:

The real trick is to look as if you know what you are talking about.

The never-ending challenge for us all!


Seanie.

Good for you Seanie.

I'll get back to you in a couple of months, and we'll sort something out.

Stevie

Seanie

Here's a list of things I'd like to hear/talk about (but more than some side discussion) at club meetings. I'm not sure it provides good 'talk' subjects but it may provoke others to add more.

Practical observing:
Scope alignment.
Cleaning optics.
Dealling with light polution.

Imaging
web cam imaging, moon/planets.
dslr imaging.
ccd imaging.
guiding/auto-guiding.

Variable stars

Supernova
(I suddenly developed an interest in SN types, based on NGC 4088)

Solar observing

... loads more that doesn't come to mind right now.

Hope this is of some help
Steve

Cheers Steve, it is of some help!

Seanie.